A week in Harare

 

 

This past week I took some days off and went in to my townhouse in Harare.  I had planned to be gone for 10 days of rest and relaxation in Harare as soon as all of my visitors left at the end of September.  I hadn't really been away since the visitors started in April and had lots of errands to do and also sort out some things at the townhouse.  I put in for 10 days of leave a month ago and as soon as I did the surgeons from Harare scheduled to come and month end reports had to be done, so I postponed for a couple of days and on the 11th of October took off for Harare.

My first stop in Harare was my doctor because I hadn't been feeling well for about 3 weeks.  She couldn't figure out what was wrong either and so ordered a bunch of blood and urine tests and the only thing that came back positive was a  bad Urinary Tract Infection going on.  She switched me to some new medication as the ones I had started on didn't seem to be working and we waited the 3 days for the Culture to come back.

Since I wasn't feeling very well I spent a lot of time sleeping, watching videos and reading.  I didn't really have the energy to go out and get my errands done.  I would go out and do a few errands early in the morning and then come home and recover!

By Thursday we found out the infection was resistant to all the meds I had been taking and only one medication that we had in the country was suppose to work, so had to go on a treasure hunt to find it.  It has to be given IV push over 5 minutes, twice a day, so had a cannula put in and have been mixing up the medicine and giving it to myself each time.  I have quite a bruised arm from all the times it took to get a cannula in (6!).  The first time I tried to give the injection it infiltrated, so luckily Dr. Kajese and wife came to visit and check on me and he was able to start another cannula that has worked ever since--only 2 more doses and I'll be done--yeah!

I spent the rest of my time in Harare doing a few errands and enjoying the Jacaranda trees which are in full bloom on the streets of Harare this time of the year!  Many streets are lined with the beautiful purple trees. 

On Saturday Major came in by bus to Harare to drive me home and brought Tongi, my gardener at Chidamoyo and so we went and bought some flowers and plants to put in my yard at the townhouse.  We left by 6 p.m. Saturday evening and arrived home by 11 p.m.  This gave me Sunday to rest before starting work on Monday.

While in Harare I did enjoy getting a manicure and pedicure one day and then went back on Friday for a full body massage and facial!  It sure felt good to pamper myself.  I guess I really needed to rest and recover and not run around so much as we usually do when we are in Harare.

Saturday morning, Lynn Johnson from Indiana came by for a short visit.  He is in the country for a couple of weeks to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Dewure Mission in Gutu, where he grew up as a missionary kid.  It was good to be able to see him for a few minutes.

I have been back to work for 3 days and it has been pleasantly busy--not too bad.  It is really our hot season now--it was up to 110 F at lunch time--I definitely have been enjoying getting in the pool after work to swim and cool off!  Harare was warm but cooled off at night so I had to use a blanket there--here I rarely use a sheet and keep the fan on all night.  Last night it was 88F when I went to bed!

 

 

 

 

 Jacaranda trees in full bloom in Harare

 Planting scrubs and flowers at townhouse

Tongi busy working in the yard

My bruised arm and cannula!